• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-384
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• 2012

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that are highly productive in the presence of basic renewable natural sources (light, $CO_2$, water and nutrients). They can synthesize lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in a small number of days. Subsequently, these carbon-captured products can be processed into both biofuels and valuable co-products. Additionally, microalgae would be an ideal feedstock for replacing land-based food crops with cellular products as high energy density transportation fuels. These microscopic organisms could contribute a significant amount of renewable energy on a global scale. In Korea, microalgae biofuel research was common in the early 1990s. The research activities were unfortunately stopped due to limited governmental funds and low petroleum prices. Interest in algal biofuels in Korea has been growing recently due to an increased concern over oil prices, energy security, greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential for other biofuel feedstock to compete for limited agricultural resources. The high productivity of microalgae suggests that much of the Korean transportation fuel requirements can be met by biofuels at a production cost competitive with the increasing cost of petroleum seen in early 2008. At this time, the development of microlalgal biomass production technology remains in its infancy. This study reviewed microalgae culture systems and biomass production, harvesting, oil extraction, conversion, and technoeconomical bottlenecks. Many technical and economic barriers to using microalgal biofuels need to be overcome before mass production of microalgal-derived fuel substitutes is possible. However, serious efforts to overcome these barriers could become a large-scale commercial reality. Overall, this study provides a brief overview of the past few decades of global microalgal research.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2022

Digital transformation refers to the economic and social effects of digitisation and digitalisation. Although digital transformation acts as a useful tool for economic/social development and enhancing the convenience of life, it can have negative effects (misuse of personal information, ethical problems, deepening social gaps, etc.). The government is actively establishing policies to promote digital transformation to secure competitiveness and technological hegemony, however, understanding of digital transformation-related risk issues and implementing policies to prevent them are relatively slow. Thus, this study systematically identifies risk issues of the future society that can be caused by digital transformation based on quantitative analysis of media articles big data through the Embedded Topic Modeling method. Specifically, first, detailed issues of negative effects of digital transformation in major countries were identified. Then detailed issues of negative effects of artificial intelligence in major countries and Korea were identified. Further, by synthesizing the results, future direction of the government's digital transformation policies for responding the negative effects was proposed. The policy implications are as follows. First, since the negative effects of digital transformation does not only affect technological fields but also affect the overall society, such as national security, social issues, and fairness issues. Therefore, the government should not only promote the positive functions of digital transformation, but also prepare policies to counter the negative functions of digital transformation. Second, the detailed issues of future social risks of digital transformation appear differently depending on contexts, so the government should establish a policy to respond to the negative effects of digital transformation in consideration of the national and social context. Third, the government should set a major direction for responding negative effects of digital transformation to minimize confusion among stakeholders, and prepare effective policy measures.